1. Field of the Invention
The present invention provides an improved roller for specialty paint finishes, the roller, in one embodiment utilizing a natural sponge material secured to the roller handle assembly and, in a second embodiment, an improved roller handle assembly wherein the assembly frame ribs are notched to secure the roller tube/sponge material assembly to the roller.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,979 to Carpbell discloses an improved roller for specialty paint finishes wherein a generally cylindrically shaped rag component is twisted around the roller handle assembly tube and tucked into the axial cavity of the roller tube, the rag component being twisted with respect to the roller tube. The apparent improvement of this patent is the use of a rag component so that it is formed as a component for a roller handle assembly device, widely used by the public, as compared to using separate rag material applied by hand to the top paint coat which overlies a base coat.
The prior art described in the ""979 paint sets forth the problems using hand tools which are hand manipulated to form a specialty finish. In particular, gloves are required and a mess typically results. The twisted rag component covering the roller tube applies a specialty finish using either the positive or negative application method; however, the use of man made roller has drawbacks in that the roller position is difficult to control as is the paint release.
United States patents developed as a result of a patentability search includes U.S. Pat. No. 2,434,462 to Kempthone which discloses a roller for finishing surfaces of sprayed fibrous material; U.S. Pat. No. 2,467,010 to Coley which discloses a conventional roller type applicator having the roller surface modified with a thickened paint to produce a textured pattern on a surface; U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,291 to Myers et al which discloses a paint roller having cartridges positioned around the roller, decorative flaps comprising a part of the cartridge to form patterns on a surface; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,179 to Wright et al discloses a decorating paint roller having flexible flaps on the roller surface.
Although the ""291 and ""979 patents refer to sponges used to apply a specialty finish to an interior wall, for example, the prior art does not suggest that a natural sponge can be secured to a roller handle assembly to form the specialty finish.
Another problem in the prior art is that the rollers tend to separate from the underlying metal frame over a number of paint strokes, the conventional roller frame comprising a series of metal rib members having a smooth surface.
What is therefore desired is to provide a roller which overcomes the above disadvantages of using a man made material to apply the specialty finish and a roller that more securely holds the roller tube to the underlying frame member.
The present invention provides a improved specialty paint finish roller comprising a conventional roller handle assembly having an axle portion, a roller tube and a naturally occurring sponge material secured around the roller tube. The roller tube is fabricated by slicing natural sponge in a manner to form essentially flat sponge pieces. One of the sponge pieces is then placed over a surface of a base material having an adhesive applied thereto, the sponge material thereby adhering to the base material. The sponge/base material is then cut lengthwise into strips.
An adhesive is applied to an elongated roller member and the strip of sponge/base material is then wound about the surface of the roller member, the adhesive then being allowed to dry. The elongated tube member is then cut to predetermined sizes, the resulting roller tube being joined to the roller handle assembly in a conventional manner.
Using a natural sponge as the paint applicator produces a natural design, each roller being unique such that a unique design is applied to an interior wall. In addition, the natural sponge material holds a relatively large amount of paint, the paint being released easily under pressure.
In a second embodiment of the invention, the conventional roller cage frame is modified by forming notches in selected elongated frame rod members whereby the roller cover positioned thereover is prevented from xe2x80x9cwalking-offxe2x80x9d the frame because of the added resistance provided by the notches.